Counting frame



E. F. HAMER COUNTING FRAME May 24, 1.955

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Filed June 7, 3.954

E. F. HAMER COUNTING FRAME May 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 7,1954 m w m 2 s f Zl. A! Z/f M m/ w w f fir? f Y 1, -MT i a., 7 z VIII--.w e l z INVENTOR s Z'a E Ham e 7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent OCOUNTING FRAlvIE Esta F. Hamer, Spring Valley, Ohio Application June 7,1954, Serial No. 434,718

4 Claims. (Cl. 35-33) Y YThis invention relates to educational devices.

An object of this invention is to provide an educational device forteaching the elements of arithmetic to children in the early grades of achilds education.

g Another object of this inventionis to provide a device whereby a childmay learn arithmetic by sight and touch. v A further object of thisinvention is to provide an educational device which is simple inconstruction and will withstand relatively hard usage and will beattractive to a child.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thearrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in thedrawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims;

In-the'drawings:

Figure l is a detail side elevation, partly broken away and in section,of a counter -or educational device constructed according to anembodiment of this invention.

igure 2 is a plan View of the device.

Q Figure 3 is a detail side elevation of a modified form of thisinvention. f

Figure- 4is a sectional Vview taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan View, partly broken away and in section, of anothermodification of this invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, and lirst to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 10designates a base member which has secured thereto a pair of verticallydisposed parallel rods 11 and 12. Rod 11 has formed integral with theupper end thereof a horizontally disposed elongated rod 13, and rod 12has formed integral therewith a horizontally disposed elongated rod 14which is spaced from rod 13 and parallel therewith.

The outer ends of the rods 13 and 14 are connected together by means ofa connecting portion 15.

Rod 11 has initially disposed thereabout a plurality of workpieces orcounters 16 and rod 12 has initially disposed therebetween an equalnumber of workpieces 17. Preferably the workpieces 16 and 17 are formedof differentiating colors such as yellow and red, respectively, so thatin the use of the device a child can readily visualize the particularworkpieces which are associated with each rod 16 and 17.

, Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 there is disclosed a modified form ofthis invention embodying a base 18 which has secured thereto a pair ofupwardly projecting parallel rods 19 and 20.

The base 18 also includes right angle side members 21 and 22 and aconnecting member 23 which, with the side members 21 and 22, forms arectangular frame structure.

The rods 19 and 20 have extending right angularly from the upper endsthereof horizontal rods 24 and 25, respectively, which are connectedtogether by means of a connecting portion 26.

The rods 19 and 20 have loosely disposed thereabout more readily retainthe 2,708,797v Patented May 24, 1955 ICC a plurality of workpieces orcounters 27 and 28, respectively, which, as in Figure l, are formed ofdifferentiating colors.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, there is disclosed anothermodification of this invention embodying a base member 29 which hassecured thereto a pair of upright or vertical rods 30 and 31. The basemember 29 has fixed to the opposite ends thereof end members 32 and 33,and a connecting member or back 34 is fixed between the end members 32and 33. l

A lower cover 35 is fixed to the frame structure formed by the base 29,end members 32 and 33, and the back member 34. In the present instancethe support` for the counter structure is formed to simulate a book, anda cover 36 is hingedly secured as at 37 to the back member 34.

A pair of instruction sheets or leaf members 38 are also secured to theback 34 and are adapted to be raised upwardly with the device resting onthe bottom wall or plate 35. l

The leaf members 38 have instruction indicia disposed thereon forinstructing the user of the device as to the manner in which the devicemay be used, and the sheets 38 may also have various problemsincorporated thereon.

The rods 30 and 31 have extending right angularly from the upper endsthereof horizontal rods 39 and 40, and a connecting rod 41 is integralwith and connects the outer ends of the rods 39 and 40.

Workpieces 42 and 43 are adapted to be initially disposed about the rods30 and 31 and are shifted from rods 30 and 31, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

In the use of this device, and referring first to Figures l and 2, thebase 10 is placed on a horizontal support with rods 11 and 12 in anupright position. Initially, the workpieces or counters 16 and 17 willbe disposed on rods 11 and 12, respectively.

A given number of Workpieces 16 are moved upwardly onto the horizontalrod 13, and in the present instance eight of the workpieces 16 areshifted upwardly onto rod 13. A given number of workpieces 17 are thenshifted upwardly onto horizontal rod 14, and in the present instance,nine of the workpieces 17 are shifted upwardly onto rod 14.

In the elementary teaching of addition, it is found that small number toa larger one, and if the problem is 8-1-2 the answer is obtained byshifting two of the workpieces 17 horizontally to the right and upwardlyon rod 15 to rod 13. There will then be eight yellow workpieces 16 andtwo red workpieces 17.

Various other problems in addition, subtraction, or the like may beworked out.

As an example, if the problem is 10-5 all of the workpieces 16 may beshifted upwardly onto rod 13 and then f; ve of such workpieces may beshifted either onto rod 14 or may be returned to rod 11, leaving fiveworkpieces 16 on rod 13.

By forming the workpieces 16 and 17 in differentiating colors the childcan more readily understand the manner in which the workpieces aresubtracted one from the other or added one to the other.

This device is designed for teaching elementary mathematics to childrenin the early grades, and it has been found that with a device of thiskind the children will problems involved in elementa arithmetic. ry

The device shown in Figures 3 and 4 operates in the same manner as thatin Figures l and 2, but by providing the frame structure which includesthe base 18 and the side members 21 and 22 with the top member 23, anumber of these devices may be stacked together.

In the same manner, the device shown in Figures 5 and 6 provides a meanswhereby the counting structure will be protected by the frame or housingstructure, and in addition, the instruction sheets 38 Will provideelementary instruction to the student which is immediately visible asthe student is working out the various problems.

What is claimed is:

1. An educational device comprising a rectangular frame, a pair of rodsfixed to one side of said frame and projecting toward the opposite sidethereof, a second pair of parallel rods integral with said first pair ofrods and projecting right angularly therefrom and parallel with saidsides of said frame, a connecting rod connecting the ends of said secondpair of rods together, and a plurality of workpieces loosely disposed onsaid first pair of rods, said workpieces being selectively shiftableonto said second pair of rods and from one member of said second pair ofrods to the other member thereof.

2. An educational device comprising a rectangular frame', a pair of rodsfixed to one side of said frame and projecting toward the opposite sidethereof, a second pair of parallel rods integral with said first pair ofrods and projecting right angularly therefrom and parallel with saidsides of said frame, a connecting rod connecting the ends of said secondpair of rods together, and a plurality of workpieces loosely disposed onsaid first pair of rods, said workpieces being selectively shiftableonto said second pair of rods and from one member of said second pair ofrods to the other member thereof, said workpieces being ofdifferentiating colors with the workpieces on one of said first pair ofrods having a color different from the workpieces on the other of saidfirst pair of rods.

3. An educational device comprising a substantially rectangular frame,said frame having opposed side walls, opposing end walls, and opposingtop and bottom walls, said top Wall being pivotally connected to one ofsaid side walls, a pair of rods iixedly secured to the other side Wallintermediate the transverse edges thereof adjacent one end thereof andprojecting toward said one side wall, `a second pair of parallel rodsformed integrally with and projecting right angularly from said firstpair of rods, said second pair of rods being parallel with said sideWalls, a connecting rod integrally formed with and connecting the freeends of said second pair of rods, and a plurality of Workpiecesslidingly engaged on said first pair of rods, said workpieces beingselectively movable from said first pair of rods to said second pair ofrods and from one member of said second pair of rods to the other memberthereof by moving over said connecting rod.

4. An educational device comprising a substantially rectangular frame,said frame having opposed side walls, opposing end walls, and opposingtop and bottom walls, said top Wall being pivotally connected to one ofsaid side Walls, a pair of rods fixedly secured to the other side Wallintermediate the transverse edges thereof adjacent one end thereof andprojecting toward said one side wall, a second pair of parallel rodsformed integrally with and projecting right angularly from said firstpair of rods, said second pair of rods being parallel with said sideWalls, a connecting rod integrally formed with and connecting the freeends of said second pair of rods, and a plurality of workpiecesslidingly engaged on said first pair of rods, said workpieces beingselectively movable from said first pair of rods to said second pair ofrods and from one member of said second pair of rods to the other memberthereof by moving over said connecting rod, said workpieces being ofdifferentiating colors with the workpieces on one of said rst pair ofrods having a color different from the workpieces on the other of saidrst pair of rods.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS352,218 Bolton et al. Nov. 9, 1886 580,516 Andrew Apr. 13, 1897 FOREIGNPATENTS 3,036 Great Britain Mar. 7, 1885 4,481 Great Britain Apr. 6,1901 13,913 Great Britain Oct. 28, 1893 59,455 Austria June 10, 191370,642 Germany Aug. 31, 1893'

